A dream of mine, and the steps to take...

[OneBadLT123]

Hello, My names Greg im 22 years old and im from Houston Tx and i been viewing the board for some time now and finally joined, and well i wanted to ask you guys a few questions because all of you seem to know your stuff...

My question starts here really, ever since i was 4 or 5(i dont know for sure around there somewhere, i flew to my grandmas...) i have always wanted to be a airline pilot. When i was younger, my dad took me to IAH(Bush) here in houston and we went to the roofs of the parking garage to watch the airplanes arrive, depart, and taxi in and out the airport...so pretty much its been a life long dream of mine and i have my heart set on it so i will do whatever it takes...

What im wondering is, from all of yalls experience, what would be the best advise you guys and give me inorder to persue my dream? Im about to start school in the fall in Minnesota majoring in Aviation with emphasis in professional flight... but i was wondering in order to work for an airline, or cargo company, what are the best ways to obtain this career? I dont care about pay or whatnot. All i want to do it fly, i never really had a chance to ask a real commercial air pilot, so i figured i would ask you guys...

from your personal exprience, how did you obtain the career? and what steps did you have to go for?

sorry for all the new guy questions, but im just really intrested into what you guys have to say...


Thank you,
Greg

 

[labbats]

If you're from Houston, why go to Minnesota to learn to fly? You'll get weathered out lots. Trust me.

That said, congrats on taking the plunge. Most of your questions will get answered with time. You've got a good 3-4 years to figure out your next step past CFI.

 

[flx757]

What im wondering is, from all of yalls experience,

See...he's just another imposter on the board. If he were REALLY from Texas, he wouldn't have said "all of yalls".

He would know the proper terminology. It is "y'all"; "all y'all"; and "all y'all's".

There is no "of"....So, get out of here, poser...and go back to Minnesota.

(Just kidding, of course... )

 

[dudemize]

Some people may disagree, but major in something that interests you other than Aviation. No airline cares what you majored in as long as you have a 4 year degree. Diversify yourself, cause you never know what may happen in the future.

 

[OneBadLT123]

hahaha well i tried to not make it obvious with my "yall" slip up... hahaha and yeah im really from Houston.. lol

but anyway, i figured i would major in a aviation related field because it is really the only thing ive ever wanted to do, i honestly do not really have an intrest anywhere else...

im just trying to figure out, the best way, or maybe see how some of you guys got your foot in the door...

 

[DenverDude2002]

See...he's just another imposter on the board. If he were REALLY from Texas, he wouldn't have said "all of yalls".

He would know the proper terminology. It is "y'all"; "all y'all"; and "all y'all's".

There is no "of"....So, get out of here, poser...and go back to Minnesota.

FLX you need to do a post on how to speak correctly in Texas then. Im a native Coloradoan to be texas transplant (moving to dallas ft worth area in 6/05)

 

[labbats]

Step One: Get a new Flightinfo handle.

 

[Flyingtoohigh]

Don't listen to Labbats about the name change, he's a tad bit ... well ... yeah. His other points are totally valid. Welcome to aviation! Earning your private pilots' license is the first step of a long journay. Don't worry too much about anything beyond your private and maybe instrument just yet.

 

[DenverDude2002]

This name isnt going anywhere.......

One thing on me and my gf's to-do list once we get settled down there is learn how to BBQ though

Also for all you Texans, are SUV's considered "trucks" down there (I have a 98 Jeep Cherokee) and how much do those cool upgraded plates with the space shuttle on top cost?

 

[Standby 1]

Sounds to me like you want to do this for all the right reasons....congrats. If you truly feel that you have to major in aviation, try to find a specialized area, such as aviation safety or crew resource management, if possible.



If you are in this for the long haul, be prepared for a hard road. It's not so bad if you if you know deep down that this is what you are meant to do. I think it's harder on people who feel that they may have been better off with a different career choice. The rest of us....well, we may whine an awful lot, but there's nothing else in the world we'd rather be doing.

If you have questions, just ask. Persistance is the key to this career, so never give up!


....

 

[flx757]

FLX you need to do a post on how to speak correctly in Texas then. Im a native Coloradoan to be texas transplant (moving to dallas ft worth area in 6/05)

DenverDude,

I went the other way. I was born, bred, and educated (if you want to call it that...I figure all my schooling, including college, amounted to about a 6th grade education... ) in Texas, then moved to Colorado where I spent a good deal of my adult life and where both of my children were born. I have since moved around a bit, including living in two of my favorite places...Alaska and currently in the Pacific NW. But, I still spend a great deal of time in Colorado, and have considered it my "home" for quite a while.

But, maybe I'll take your suggestion....

 

[bobbysamd]

Career building

I'll try to provide a straight answer.

While I like an Aeronautical Sciences degree, the bottom line is that you earn a four-year degree in something from an accredited college. Many people feel that an aviation-related degree is worthless outside in aviation. I disagree. Any kind of four-year degree will open far more doors than it will close. I've heard of people with Aero Science degrees being hired in airport management. Much of the education you gain can be used for substitute teaching or other temporary work. I would say that if your heart is set on earning an aviation-related degree then do it, but do consider that it could limit you somewhat in comparision to an education in a more generic field, such as accounting or business.

You will need flight training. You can obtain it many ways. You can go military, if you can qualify. You can be trained in a college program, with many college programs not being as expensive as you might think. You can obtain training at your local airport. You can be trained at a commercial flight school. I like college or commercial school programs because I feel that the discipline received from a school environment promotes better, faster and potentially less-expensive training. Your budget and/or ability to finance your training may dictate your choices. You should earn all of your instructor ratings as well as all of your commercial ratings.

After you finish, with all your certificates and 250 hours, you may be surprised that the world is not beating down the doors for your services. There almost always have been far more qualified pilots available than jobs. I recommended getting your instructor ratings because instructing is the easiest entry-level job to get. You will gain great experience. As you build hours you will qualify, on paper, for more advanced jobs. But being qualified on paper is no guarantee that you will advance in the career.

Building an aviation career requires great sacrifice, persistence and luck. You may sacrifice plenty and persist plenty, but if you are unlucky or unfortunate, you won't get far. Moreover, professional aviation has changed in the last few years. Not that many major airlines are hiring; most have long lists of furloughees that must be recalled before it can consider new hiring. That might take years. In turn, that will stop-up hiring on the regional level. So, it might take several years before any airlines calls your number, if it is indeed called at all.

Hope that helps. Good luck with your plans.

 

[pilotyip]

College degree

Did someone mention going to college to be a pilot, do they want to miss valuable flying time by going to college, if you want to a pilot and be making a decent living by your mid 20's with a low probability of being hired by UPS and American, skip college, do a search on this board, it has been beat to death many times. PM to follow

 

[bobbysamd]

Do NOT skip college

Did someone mention going to college to be a pilot, do they want to miss valuable flying time by going to college, if you want to a pilot and be making a decent living by your mid 20's with a low probability of being hired by UPS and American, skip college, do a search on this board, it has been beat to death many times. PM to follow

Yes, it has been beaten to death. Not going to college is very bad advice, primarily because it places you at a disadvantage right out of the blocks to those pilots who have. Not to mention the lack of backup plan if flying goes afoul.

To get many jobs, you need the degree. E.g., getting hired as a flight instructor in a college program. Okay, Yip, you might say that there are other instructing jobs. There are. My point, once again, is it is unwise for someone to disadvantage himself/herself from others who have a degree when it is entirely within one's power to get the degree. It's better to be as well qualified as possible than not. Besides, our poster said he's shooting for the majors, which do look for a four-year degree. The better freight haulers, such as UPS, yes, also look for a degree, and get people who have them.

 

[DenverDude2002]

FLX,


Dont get me wrong Colorado is a good state but after being trapped in the same town (40 miles north of Denver) for 20 years, Im ready for a change. Also decided Im not totally attached to DFW, also considering east coast (va,nc), pacific nw, maybe even alaska. Im quite attached to the mountains and i dont know if my Jeep will be a happy camper without them nearby.

Also Im getting the flying bug again and its looking like once again Im going to shoot for a job with a regional hopefully within 10 years. Im aiming for Delta connection/CHQ if Im on the east coast, Skywest/Horizon if its the pacific nw.

 

[wrxpilot]

FLX,


Dont get me wrong Colorado is a good state but after being trapped in the same town (40 miles north of Denver) for 20 years, Im ready for a change. Also decided Im not totally attached to DFW, also considering east coast (va,nc), pacific nw, maybe even alaska. Im quite attached to the mountains and i dont know if my Jeep will be a happy camper without them nearby.

Also Im getting the flying bug again and its looking like once again Im going to shoot for a job with a regional hopefully within 10 years. Im aiming for Delta connection/CHQ if Im on the east coast, Skywest/Horizon if its the pacific nw.

Hmm... Very similar situation here DenverDude. Did you live in Berthoud or thereabouts? I lived in Evergreen and Golden for almost my entire life, and about 1 year ago I just had an overwhelming urge to go somewhere else for awhile. It was a difficult decision leaving one of the most beautiful places in the country that is within easy access of a major metropolitan city, but I had to do it. Ended up taking a job in southern FL and will be sticking around here for a couple of years (not a bad place for flight training either!). I've been here about 8 months now and don't regret leaving, but there are times when I miss my Colorado roots.

My next locale will be in the Northwest, MT, or Alaska. Mountains and a small population of people are a good thing. The current plan is to develop my engineering career as a backup, payoff all debts and invest, do lots of flight training, and get a job flying cargo somewhere cool by the time I'm in my thirties. Good luck w/ your move!

 

[Mr. Irrelevant]

http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?t=995&highlight=Roll+Call

Try this thread. Very informative. Super80's post will open your eyes to the perseverance it may take to get what you want. One of the best threads I've seen here in four years or so of following flightinfo.

Mr. I.

 

[DenverDude2002]

WRX,

Hmm... Very similar situation here DenverDude. Did you live in Berthoud or thereabouts? I lived in Evergreen and Golden for almost my entire life, and about 1 year ago I just had an overwhelming urge to go somewhere else for awhile.

Your right on the money actually. I live about 2 miles west of Berthoud right now, work in Longmont, fly outta KBJC. Golden is a pretty cool town, I was just down there killing time the other day. Turns out Pete Coors, one of the Coors beer founders sons, is running for senate.

FL is also on the list of places. Im thinking I need a warm climate for a change.

 

[flx757]

Dude,

To each his own, but I couldn't imagine trading the mountains (not necessarily Colorado...although that's tougher to imagine), but ANY mountains...even the mountains of the East (which are really just hills, if you ask me... ), for Florida.

Man, I would give that some SERIOUS thought...and re-thought, and even MORE thought, if that is what's required to get over THAT notion...

 

[standaman]

Two words: Be Safe

Don't get complacent while in aviation.